I'll Never Leave You
by GreenScar1990
Summary: One-Shot. Hulk and Caiera. Their final hours together before the destruction of Sakaar.


_**A Hulk and Caiera Story**_

* * *

**I Will Never Leave You**

* * *

It was early morning, the stars still lighting up the heavens just before the sun began to rise. And resting peacefully within the bed chambers of her beloved husband, the Green King, Caiera heard the sounds of his returning footsteps. He had awakened moments ago and left, but where he had been she could only begin to guess. It mattered very little to her, for as long as he was by her side... everything was perfect. She let an affectionate smile grace her features as he nuzzled his cheek against her own, a small purr-like growl managing to rumble in his throat.

"Mmm... where were you, husband?", Caiera asked, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"Shhhhh.", Hulk whispered into her ear, his arms gently lifting her effortlessly in his arms much to her complete surprise.

"Wait, where are...", Caiera managed to utter, opening her eyes as she was lifted off the bed.

Before she could say another word, Hulk leaped out of the balcony with Caiera in his arms. They soared through the air, passing over the Crown City as if they were flying. When they finally landed, she was gently placed down on her feet by her beloved husband before looking out over the landscape. It was a vast landscape, calm and silent as a desert and with a terrain to match, seemingly empty and devoid of life at least in the darkness of night. She knew of this place, but why did Hulk take her here?

"The Steppes. What are we doing here, husband?", Caiera asked, looking up into the eyes of the being she so dearly loved.

"You told me once that was a place of peace. That if I went there, I'd never have to fight again.", Hulk answered, looking out over the landscape again.

"What are you saying, Holku?", Caiera inquired, their eyes locking as they stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity.

"Maybe... maybe we should just go.", Hulk stated, moving his hand out in the direction of the landscape known as the Steppes.

Caiera could ony smile at Hulk, reaching up to rest her hand on his cheek. She could sense what was troubling him, what was causing him to act in such a manner. He was afraid. Fearful of losing her. She couldn't help but feel touched as she leaned up to kiss him on the lips, which he was eager to return with equal passion and love.

"I'll go with you wherever you want. But there's no need for this. You don't have to fear yourself.", Caiera said in a voice as soft as a gentle breeze, trying to reason with the Green Goliath.

Her voice is so loving and understanding. He couldn't imagine life without her. Never before had he'd loved another so greatly in his life. And it was for this reason alone that it made him feel on edge. Anything that even so much as resembled happiness made him nervous. And Hulk had a very good reason to be.

"You don't understand. They call me The Sakaarson. The Savior. But I know what I am.", Hulk responded, looking directly into her eyes.

His voice was of uncertainty and fear, despite his attempt to veil it from her. She could see it in his eyes. He feared nothing in the universe, all with the exception of himself. Fear of his own rage, fear of his own power, fear of losing her. She knew it to be true as she unwavering gazed into his emerald irises, knowing that she had to make Hulk see that he's the hero and savior she believed him to be.

"The Worldbreaker? The Destroyer of All?", Caiera retorts, her words finally causing him to look away.

She did not get a response, and she didn't expect that she would. It was now time to show him, to make him realize just what he'd given this world. She reached out to grasp his giant hands with her smaller, yet still larger-than-human hands before pulling him closer.

"Look out over the Steppes, Holku. We fought on this land, remember? You bled here. And now... look at what grew from your blood. And tell me you broke this world.", Caiera said, their eyes looking out over the landscape that was now flourishing with with plant life.

It was like the Garden of Eden. Beautiful, peaceful, and so full of life. Farmers working while their children laughed and played. This once barren wasteland given life from the blood that he spilled. This is what he, a being who was known only as an indestructible force of nature on his home world of Earth, had created.

"You don't want to run away. You don't want to be left alone. Because this is where you belong. With your People. With your Queen. And with your child.", Caiera concluded in her reasoning, gently placing Hulk's hand on her belly so that he could feel the faint heartbeats of their unborn child growing from within her womb.

He stared at her for a moment, surprise evident on his features. She smiled at him, causing a warmth to enter his heart as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Together, their love and courage has healed this world. But was all of this too good to last forever?

* * *

"The Spikes have returned to the stars. And the essence of those they consumed has been released. Say goodbye to your loved ones... and give thanks to your King.", Caiera proclaimed to the masses.

Hulk and Caiera were soon surrounded by the people of Sakaar. The red-skinned Imperials. The native insect hivelings. The Shadow Elders. Men, women, children. All of them their to welcome their Green King and his beloved Oldstrong Queen.

Two-Hands!

Holku!

Green Scar!

Green King!

They cheered.

"What the heck...", Hulk rumbled as a familiar sight caught him off guard.

It was a space shuttle. The same one that the heroes of Earth tricked him into before shooting him off into the depths of space. The very same vessel that brought him to Sakaar. But now, thanks to the civilians, it had been recreated as a parade float to honor the Hulk for restoring balance and peace to this world.

"It's you, Green Scar! Busting out of the ship that brought you to us!", One of the children atop the shuttle-made-parade-float cheered.

"You have saved us all.", The red-skinned Imperial proclaimed.

"Huh.", Hulk muttered, not sure what to make of the whole scene.

"Just smile, husband. Just smile.", Caiera said in a gentle voice, leaning against him as her hands rested on his vast muscle-defined chest.

"What do we do now?", Hulk asked her with a genuine smile, his large left arm encircling her waist.

"Now? We just live.", Caiera answered simply, leaning up to kiss her beloved Green King.

Suddenly, Hulk heard a sound... coming from the space shuttle!

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_

Then began the message from Reed Richards, one of the men who was responsible for banishing him from Earth.

_Time and again, your anger and power have threatened the entire planet..._

Then came the warning... the shuttle was going to explode!

_Warning: Warp Core Compromised._

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Not waiting another second, Hulk rushes over to the space shuttle.

"MOVE!", Hulk orders, causing the children and adults to scatter from the vessel.

He tightly grasped the large shuttle, his large hands digging deeply into the metal hull as he prepared to throw it. And all the while the message left by Reed Richards continued to play, as if it were taunting him. They were responsible for this, they're the ones who were trying to destroy everything that he loved so dearly.

_... it's the only way we can be sure._

_I'm truly, genuinely sorry._

_BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP_

"Stupid... Puny... Humans! GRAAAAAAA!", Hulk snarled, throwing the giant space shuttle into the air.

Caiera runs into Hulk's arms, concern evident on her lovely visage. He holds her close, trying to shield her from what was destined to transpire. It couldn't end like this. He couldn't lose her. Not after everything that he'd endured on this planet, not after overcoming the forces that were sent against him.

"Everybody get down!", Hulk commanded, his voice reaching the ears of all those within the city.

"Holku...", Caiera whispers, looking him directly in the eyes.

WHAAAAKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The space shuttle explodes in the air above Crown City like a collapsing star, unleashing destructive energies that threaten to destroy the Earth-sized planet that the Hulk had fought so courageously to save. All the people are instantly vaporized, reduced to nothing more than ash. The Hulk endures through the intense heat, holding and shielding Caiera in his arms... but it was all in vain.

"CAIERA!", Hulk screams, helpless to protect the woman he loves.

In her last moments with him, Caiera could only display a sad smile of love and affection as she rested her forehead against Hulk's own. It was then that she spoke to him, whispering to him the last words that he would ever hear from her. She loved him... and she would always be in his heart.

"Don't worry, Holku. I will never leave you.", Caiera said as she kissed him one final time before the blinding light of the planet-annihilating explosion consumed them both.

* * *

Hulk held Caiera's motionless body in his arms, watching as her body dissolved into ash, yet failing to notice the oval-shaped object that plummeted to the molten sea of fire below. He had lost everything. His world, his people, his Queen, and their child. It was all gone.

_He wanted to die._

_He wanted to burn away into nothing._

_The explosion only made him stronger._

_The strongest one there is._

_The only one there is._

_And it only made him angry._

_Angrier than he's ever been._

"Give... Them... Back!", Hulk roared, smashing his fists into the fiery landscape

Uprooting a mountain-sized piece of flaming earth, Hulk hurls it effortlessly at the burning mountains in the distance, destroying them instantly. It did not satisfy his rage and sorrow, a savage roar of unimaginable ferocity shaking the heavens themselves. Launching himself high into the air, Hulk smashes into the fiery sea of molten fire and burning earth. His blows shake the planet to its core until he finally stops, but only to scream at the heavens again.

"GIVE... THEM... BACK!", Hulk roars with all of his might.

He drops down to his knees, lowering his head as he attempted to suppress a painful cry of sorrow. Caiera the Oldstrong. The love of his life. The warrior woman whom he fought against and alongside on this planet... was gone forever. And with her, the child that grew within her womb. Nothing is more painful than losing your wife and child, no pain could ever hope to compare with such a loss.

"Give her back.", Hulk whispered, tears falling from his closed eyes which proceed to slowly stream down his cheeks.

_She was gone forever._

_But their children?_

_They've survived._

_And each would carve out a legacy._

_A legacy that began with the marriage and union of their parents._

_The Hulk and Caiera the Oldstrong._

* * *

_**The End**_

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**A one-shot that pays homage & tribute to Greg Pak's "Planet Hulk" and that of the romantic bond formed between Hulk and Caiera. I can't tell you how much I love Caiera, not can I tell you how much it saddened me to see her die at the end. She truly was Hulk's greatest love. There will never be another like her.**

_**Sakaarson.**_

_**Hear my cry.**_

_**My eyes are burning.**_

_**My heart is ice.**_

_**My night is full of death.**_

_**Sakaarson.**_

_**Hear my cry.**_

_**Cool my eyes.**_

_**Warm my heart.**_

_**Let me dream again.**_


End file.
